Head rest reproducer



Aug. 27, 1935. A. K. WARD HEAD REST REPRODUCER Filed June 17, 1952 INVENTOR ALBERLK. WARD BY ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 27, 1935 UNITED STATES 2,012,419 HEAD nnsr REPRODUCE'R Albert K. Ward, Audubon, N. J., assignorto Radio Corporation of America, a corporation of Delaware I Application June 17, 1932, serial no. 617,797

3 Claims. (Cl; 1'7 9--182) My present invention relates to reproducers,

and more particularly to ahead rest reproducer adapted for operative positioning between the head and shoulder of the listener. a

In centralized radio systems, especially used in hospitals, it is often desired to localize reproduction with respect to each listener. So-called radio pillows have been provided for this purpose, such devices comprising a pillow made of sponge rubber, a telephone reproducer being disposed at the center of the pillow. An invalid or a well person could thus recline in bed, and position an ear upon the pillow; radio reception thus being individualized ina comfortable manner. However, there are numerous instances in hospitals, and other places, where it is undesirable, impossible or troublesome to utilize a radio pillow device. There are many cases, for example, where it is required that individuals rest on their backs, and not move around. This position may be enforced orvoluntary; but, in either case, a radio pillow device is not as convenient and desirable as a head rest reproducerfl. i

Therefore, it may be stated thatit is one of the main objects of this invention to provide an improved type of individual reproducer, wherein the electrical. reproducer is disposed within a sponge rubber, orother resilient housing, the latter being of such dimensions and shape that it may be readily disposedbetween the ear of a person and the adjacent shoulder in non-slipping position.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a radio reproducer device comprising a sponge rubber housing having a base of a relatively large area, the base being adapted to rest on the listeners shoulder, and a face designed to rest against a side of the listeners head, said face being provided with an orificeshaped to receivethe ear of the listener, there being an electrical telephone within the housing.

Qther objects of the inventionare to improve generally the simplicity and efiiciencyof individual radio reproducers, and to particularly provide a device or apparatus of the present type whichis not only economical, durable and reliable in operation, but economically manufactured.

The novel features which I believe to be characteristic of my invention are set forth in particularity in the appended claims, the invention itself, however, as to both its organization and method of operation will best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the drawing in which I have indicated diagrammatically several elements whereby'my invention may be carried into effect.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 shows a side elevation of the present invention,

Fig. 2 shows a plan view of the device of Fig. 1, Fig.3 is a frontelevation of the device shown in Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the reproducer orifice. I, i

Referring now to; the accompanying drawing 10 wherein like reference characters designate the same elements in the different views, Fig. 1 shows the appearance of the device viewed from the side;,;The base I ispreferably made fiat or plane and of a relatively large area, and is square in shape as can be seen by reference to Fig. 2. Actually it may be about five and onehalf inches square. Fig. 3 shows the appearance of the device from the orifice 2, the top portion of the face 3 being arcuate in shape.

It will be noted that the face 3is rearwardly inclined (see Fig. 1) and curves backwards above the orifice 2. Theheight of the device is about sixinches. The rear face 4 comprises a reinforcing, or buttress, portion 5, the top of the buttress tapering towards the top of face 3 in a double curve. Thus, it will be seen that in general the device is triangularin cross section; when sectionedvertically through the orifice 2, the rear of the. triangle base being extended to provide a buttress. l

The face 4 is provided with an. aperture 6 of a bore l,.the oppositeopening of the bore 1 being designated by the numeral 8. The electrical reproducer, or telephone, 9 is disposed within the chamber I0. This chamber is formed by cementing the front and rear portions of the housing along the line C, and providing the circular spaces H and I2 in the said portions. The spaces l2 and I I, when the rear and front portions are cement- 40 ed, have a sound opening 13, the conical space M connecting the openings I3 and 2. The wire 15 connecting the telephone 9 to the centralized radio systemis, of course, disposed in the bore 1. The wire I5, connected from the centralized radio distribution channel to each telephone reproducer}! will be understood to'be connected in any well known manner to the reproducer 9 housed in the rubber casing, and extends through the bore lto the exterior and rear of the rubber casing, the centralized distributing system itself being of any well known type. For example, such a system. may follow the teachings of U. S. Patent 1,845,302 to L. W. Luellen. It will be noted that the connecting conical space M of the sound As stated heretofore, the present device is normally constructed in two parts, the cementing line C dividing, as shown in Fig. 1, the device into two portions. One of these main portions is provided with the space !2, the conical connecting space M and the apertures l3 and 2 as well as a substantially square shallow space 2'. The other main portion of the device is provided with'the space H, the bore 1 and a substantially square shallow space 2 which is adapted to fit the space 2 and provide therewith a wide space, having a thickness of about-an eighth of an inch between the base i of the device and substantially the center of the spaces H and I2. When the two main portions of the device, pre-formed as stated heretofore, are cemented along the line C the complete device of this invention is provided.

Of course, prior to cementing along the line C, the telephone reproducer 9 has been-positioned in spaces H and 12, with its'sound outlet operatively positionedwith respect to the opening [3, and the wire i5 is positioned within the bore 1, with the wire projectingoutwardly beyond the Opening 6. After the two main portions have been cemented along line C the surfaces I, 3 and 4 of the device may have cemented thereto any desired type of ornamental coating or fabric, and it is also to be understood that such an ornamental coating is placed over thevsurface of the conical connecting space I4 as Well asa sub stantial portion of the bore 1.

It is believed that the manner of using the device of the present invention will be clearly understood from the above description and from the drawing. It has already been pointed out how'the device is constructed out of two main portions and it is believed that those skilled in the art are well acquainted with the manner of providing the various grooves and spaces within the said main portions, it being understood that such spaces, grooves and bores may be provided by cutting," molding, or similar operations. When the device has been constructed and is ready for use, and assuming that program energy is being delivered to the telephone reproducer 9, it is merely necessary to position the device adjacent the listeners car. In this positionthebase i rests upon the shoulder, the aperture 20 being adjacent theear. g

It will be noted that inthis position if the listeners head presses against the face 3, the buttress portion 5 functions to prevent the device from toppling backward away from the ear and toward the listeners arm. Due to thesponge rubber construction of the device there will be no discomfort due to pressure of the ear against the orifice 2. It is to be particularly notedtha't the construction of the present device results in a device which is not only positioned between the shoulder and ear of a 'listener, but is snugly fitted in such position in such a manner that it may be said that the device is wedged into position between the ear and shoulder of the listener.

A consideration of Fig. 1 will demonstrate this fact, the side base I and the face 3 being arranged der and the ear, is also built so that it may be placed flat on the sheet of the bed and be placed in such a position that it will reproduce directly into the ear in a manner similar to a book-end being pushed up close to the head. Also, all parts can be cemented together before the headphone is installed. A four inch slot is left in the base of the unit for the insertion of the headpiece.

While I have indicated and described one arrangement for carrying my invention into effect, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art thatmyinvention is by no means limited to the particular organization shown and described, but that many modifications may be made without departing from the scope of my invention as set forth in the appended claims.

' What I claim is:

1. In a device of the class described, a housing for a sound reproducer comprising only two mating portions each formed of a unitary mass of sponge rubber, each of said portions having a circular chamber formed therein, said chambers being aligned and adapted to enclose and support the sound reproducer, one of said housing portions being formed with an outlet aperture and a conical shaped portion connecting said aperture with one of said circular chambers, said housing being formed with a broad fiat base which is arranged at an angle of substantially degrees with the face having said outlet aperture and spaced fronr said sound outlet aperture by the normal distance between the shoulder and ear of aperson, whereby upon resting the base on his shoulder sound waves emitted from said reproducer will be directed into a listeners ear.

2.'In combination, a housing formed of a mass of sponge rubber and provided with a hollow chamber within its interior, a telephone reproducer positioned within said chamber, a substantially conicaliy shaped sound outlet chamber formed in said rubber housing on one side thereof, said reproducer chamber and oulet chamber being connected by a common aperture, and said outlet chamber opening into one face of the housing, the last mentioned opening being enlarged to form a configuration adapted to fit a' listeners car, a bore provided below said reproducer chamber and extending between it and the rear face of said housing, said bore having disposed therein a wire connected to said telephone reproducer, the wire extending outside the housing, the base of said housing and the face thereof provided with the ear fitting outlet chamber opening being inclined at an angle somewhat less than and providing a pair of wedge faces adapted to be snugly and positively positioned between the listeners ear and shoulder and the distance between said housing base and said ear shaped outlet chamber being equal to the normal distance between the shoulder and ear of a person; I

3. In a device of the class described, a housing for a sound reproducer comprising only two mating portions each formed of a unitary mass of sponge rubber, each of said portions having a circular chamber formed therein, said chambers being aligned and adapted to enclose and support the sound reproducer, one of said housing portions being formed with an outlet aperture on its front face and a conical shaped portion connecting said aperture with one of said circular chambers, said housing being formed with a broad flat base which is spaced from said sound outlet aperture by the normal distance between the shoulder and ear of a person and said housing being further provided with an aperture extending from said circular chamber through the base of said housing and of a width greater than the diameter of said circular chamber whereby the sound reproducer may be inserted from the base through said last named aperture.

ALBERT K. WARD. 

